New equipment at a discount

By HERALD Staff

A little-known duty of the Prosecutor's Office is to serve as the County Coroner and, given their limited budget, obtaining new equipment can be difficult.

"We had virtually no equipment when I took office, but we have cobbled together safety gear and a 'new vehicle' without cost to the community," said Pacific County Prosecutor Mark McClain.

McClain obtained a Jeep, which had been surplussed by the county and cost his department $200, "so that a deputy doesn't track bio-hazard into their personal vehicle and into their homes" and now adds to the growing list of equipment this donation of an SCBA from the South Bend Fire Department.

"We were glad to be able to put equipment that we were unable to use to better use," said South Bend Fire Chief Alan Ashley.

According to Ashley, the equipment is brand new, but had become out of date and been replaced by newer equipment, "for what the prosecutors will need it for, this is still serviceable and will be important for them," said Chief Ashley.

The South Bend Fire Department took the time to show the prosecutor's staff how the equipment worked and ensured each had an opportunity to try out the equipment. Each SCBA until, new, was approximately $6,500.